Experts probe how horses contracted lyssavirus

Biosecurity Queensland says it is still trying to determine how a bat transmitted the deadly lyssavirus to two horses at property on the state's Southern Downs.

Authorities are waiting for test results to confirm if the horses died from the bat-borne virus at Allora, south of Toowoomba.

Chief biosecurity officer Jim Thompson says microbats have been found on the property but it is still to early to say how they infected the horses.

"We have identified microbats in the area including roosting in buildings on the property and we're looking at where these bats may have come into contact and how they may have come into contact with horses," he said.

"I know it seems obvious if you've got bats on site and horses you say, 'well there's your answer' but you've still got to work out how that might have occurred."

He says interstate authorities will pay close attention to Queensland's response.

"Whatever protocols we put in place will be national protocols, will become national protocols and will only be changed when further information comes to light," he said.

"This is very similar with how we've worked with Hendra over the years, I guess we almost developed the Hendra virus rules and regulations for the country because we've had most of the cases."